Mendocino armed robbery suspect arrested before flight to Argentina
MENDOCINO COUNTY – Authorities in Mendocino County announced that a man suspected in an armed robbery last week has been arrested while attempting to take a flight from New York to his native Argentina.
According to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the Mi Esperanza market in the town of Boonville on the afternoon of December 9.
Deputies said a suspect, who was wearing a face covering and was armed with a handgun, confronted a store employee working alone. The suspect told the employee to be silent as he went behind the counter and stole an estimated $20,000 from a cash drawer, before leaving the scene on foot.
During the investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 22-year-old Matias Tomas Vietto of Philo. Detectives learned he told friends he was leaving California to return to Argentina and found out Vietto had booked a flight from New York to his home country scheduled for December 10.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Vietto. On Monday night, the New York Police Department arrested Vietto as he attempted to fly. Additional details about his arrest were not immediately available.
Deputies said Tuesday that Vietto is being held in New York pending extradition back to California.
